Councillors speak out against proposals to close three Hartlepool GP surgeries

Coun Paul Beck

Published:11:00Saturday 16 August 2014

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COUNCILLORS have spoken out against proposals which threaten the future of three GP surgeries in Hartlepool.

The Mail reported yesterday on a backlash to NHS plans to close Hartfields Medical Practice and merge Fens and Wynyard Road surgeries with the likely loss of one.

Councillors for the wards where the three surgeries are located have hit out at the plans.

They say the proposals go against pledges by health leaders to provide services in the community.

Hart councillor Paul Beck gave his backing to keeping Hartfields practice open when he attended a public meeting on Wednesday night.

In a joint statement, he and fellow Labour Hart councillor Jean Robinson, said: “This GP Service covers not only residents at Hartfields but also the wider community and has become an integral part of the Hart Ward.

“With an ageing population, the prospect of losing more services is unacceptable and an expectation that the frail and elderly can travel further to another surgery is unrealistic nor does it fit with the argument put forward around acute care services.

“Over recent years and months, the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust and NHS Stockton and Hartlepool CCG have made much play that the erosion of hospital services is in keeping with their agenda of providing more services within the community.

“Both the hospital trust and CCG cannot move the goalposts now. We have lost many acute services to Stockton and the people of Hartlepool should not sit back and allow an erosion of primary care services too.”

NHS England says the contracts provided by the three surgeries have not secured the patients expected in five years and are not cost effective in the long term.

Geoff Lilley.

But councillors Beck and Robinson pointed to 1,369 new homes due to be built in the area.